


children of fire and flame;

by 221bdisneystreet



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: First Kiss, Galo POV, Light Angst, Lio joins burning rescue, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Promare (2019) Spoilers, burning hearts zine, galo gets to play with kids!! it's cute!!!, gueira and meis run a daycare for ex-burnish orphans, he gets along well with children :')))
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26154658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/221bdisneystreet/pseuds/221bdisneystreet
Summary: Burning Rescue is invited to visit a daycare for ex-Burnish orphans for the day. Galo is having a lot of fun, but then he notices that Lio is feeling a bit sad for some reason...(written for Burning Hearts Zine)
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 4
Kudos: 102





	children of fire and flame;

**Author's Note:**

> here's the piece i wrote for [the burning hearts zine](https://twitter.com/BurnHeartsZine)!! just a small lil' fic that includes galo playing with kids and some mild galolio hurt/comfort ;)
> 
> working on the zine was such an amazing experience, and i'm so happy that i got to be a part of it! i want to thank everyone else who worked on the zine for being so talented and supportive, and i especially want to thank the mods for organizing such a fantastic project. i appreciate you all so much!!
> 
> i also want to give a special shout-out to [buns](https://twitter.com/2amSnow), who i had the honor of collaborating with and who drew [an absolutely gorgeous companion piece](https://twitter.com/2amSnow/status/1299516299966476289) to my fic!! i had such a fun time getting to work with her, and i'm so glad and grateful that we got the chance to collab <3
> 
> and of course, thanks [brigid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstinspace) and [noelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/generichero) for being such amazing betas!! your help is absolutely appreciated as always! <3

“Everyone, get him!”

“Yay!” The kids screeched as they rushed towards Galo and hugged his legs. His body swayed forward from the combined force of the children tackling him, and he fell with a “Whoa!”

He landed facedown onto the ground, the smell of grass and dewdrops filling his lungs. Speckles of dirt stung his eyes, and the weight of children climbing onto his back and clinging to his legs pinned him down. Despite that, he lifted his head with a goofy smile.

“Now face the power of my Matoi!” Ryuko exclaimed, proudly holding up a stick with a dandelion wrapped around one end of it. She knelt down and brushed the dandelion against the tip of Galo’s nose. The tickling sensation made his nose twitch, and Galo sneezed, scattering the seeds throughout the field. Ryuko giggled and clapped. “It worked!”

Galo pouted. “How could I, the mighty Galo Thymos and savior of Promepolis, be defeated like this?”

The children answered with more fits of giggling as they grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and nuzzled their noses into his back. Galo’s expression melted into a fond smile.

When Gueira and Meis invited all of Burning Rescue to the local daycare they ran, Galo couldn’t contain his excitement. In his days at the orphanage, Galo had always been a favorite among the younger children. They all latched onto him as if there was something magnetic or contagious about him. The adults said it was Galo’s strength, the way he maintained a smile no matter what. It was inspiring, a spark of comfort in an era of paranoia. Now, he got to relive the joy of playing silly games with kids and making them laugh, this time without the threat of impending danger. 

“Mister Thymos! Mister Thymos!”

Galo noticed Simon running up to him.

“Hey, what’s going on? How come you aren’t with Lio?”

“Mister Fotia says he doesn’t feel like playing right now.” Simon frowned. “He seems sad…”

_Sad?_

That was strange. Aside from fleeting moments of uneasiness, Lio had otherwise been amiable and cheerful with the children. Galo had to admit that he was surprised at how quickly Lio opened up when the kids asked for stories and how touched he was when they showed him drawings of his Mad Burnish armor or the mecha he and Galo had piloted together.

“Where is he?” Galo asked.

Simon pointed to a large maple tree situated between the picnic tables and the pond. In the distance, Galo noticed the silhouette of a small figure seated at the tree’s base. His brow furrowed with concern and he pursed his lips.

“Mister Thymos, what’s wrong?” Ryuko asked.

Galo propped himself up with his arms. “Hey kids, Mister Thymos has something important to do right now.”

The children climbed off his back, and he stood up, brushing off the dirt and grass that stuck to his clothes. “You kids keep playing without me, alright? Lunch should be coming soon.”

The children hesitantly murmured their ‘okay’s before running off to discuss what game to play next.

“Mister Thymos?” Simon asked.

“Hmm?”

“Is Mister Fotia gonna be okay?”

Galo sighed. “I hope so…” He ruffled Simon’s hair and smiled gently. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll talk with him. Now go have fun with the others.”

Simon nodded and ran off to join the rest of the group. Galo looked back before his smile faded and he walked over to the tree.

* * *

Aside from the scattered wisps of clouds, the sky was nothing more than an infinite sea of blue. The sun painted the park with golden light, save for the patches of shade provided by the tall trees. Sputtering car engines, quacking ducks, and laughing children harmonized together into a spring melody. The afternoon warmth clung to Galo’s entire being, making his skin tingle.

As he got closer, he could better discern Lio’s figure. His legs were pulled up to his chest, and his arms were folded on top of his knees. His chin rested on the sleeves of his red, oversized Burning Rescue jacket as he stared out across the pond.

“Lio?”

No response. Galo observed Lio carefully, noticing that his eyes were glazed over in meditative dejection.

“Lio!”

“Huh?” Lio perked up and turned to Galo. Any hint of melancholy or thoughtfulness was gone.

“Oh, whew.” Galo sighed with relief. “I thought you were half-dead or something.”

“Sorry,” Lio muttered. His eyebrow quirked up in confusion. “What’s up with your face?”

“Oh uhh...” Galo rubbed his hands over his cheeks, hastily wiping off any smudges of dirt. “Kids got a little rough with me. They’re a wild bunch.” Galo laughed, a warm blush rising in his cheeks from embarrassment. Lio just smiled gently before he turned away again.

Galo sat down next to Lio and stretched his legs out. He leaned against the tree trunk and gazed out over the pond. The sunlit water rippled as ducks and geese floated along its surface.

For what felt like hours, neither of them said anything. Finally, Galo sighed, exasperated. “You know, you can talk to me about it.”

“What?”

“I don’t know what’s on your mind right now. But whatever it is, it really brought your mood down, and the last thing I want is for you to be sad. So...you don’t need to hide it from me, okay?” Galo bit his lip. “There’s still a lot I don’t know about you. But listen, you can trust me. We’re not just a team. We’re friends.”

Lio remained silent. As Galo waited for an answer, panic rushed through his brain. Was he being too pushy? Did he say something wrong? There _was_ truth to his words, though. Although it had only been four months since they first met and Lio joined Burning Rescue, Galo cared so much for him, as if they had been lifelong friends. Actually, not even lifelong friends, something _more_.

“It’s about the kids,” Lio said.

“What?”

“The kids here…” Lio directed his gaze back to Galo. “Watching them run and laugh with nothing to worry about, no longer fearing for their lives...it should be relieving. But…”

“But it looks like you’re having fun! I mean, the kids love you so much, and I’ve never seen you so playful before, to be honest.” Galo frowned. “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s not that! I mean…” Lio chewed on his lower lip. “I really am having fun, and I’m happy, honestly.” He sighed. “But at the same time, I feel sad.”

_Sad_. There it was again.

“None of these children have a mother who will comfort them or a father who will protect them.” An uneasy hesitation overwhelmed Lio. “It hurts knowing that all of them have lost their parents, whether it was at the hands of the Foresight Foundation or ordinary civilians who hated the Burnish. And…”

Lio’s fingers clawed into the fabric of his pants.

“It hurts knowing that I couldn’t save them.”

The quiver in Lio’s voice and the guilt that cracked in his words immediately made Galo sit up in alarm.

“Lio, wait––”

“Galo, don’t you get it?” Lio’s stare became more focused, hardened. Galo noticed the tears peeking out of Lio’s eyes. “If I had tried harder, their parents wouldn’t be dead! These children wouldn’t be alone!” Lio sniffled and rubbed his eyes before huffing out a hollow laugh. “It’s funny, isn’t it? The leader of Mad Burnish, the one who swore to protect all Burnish, couldn’t even save some kid’s parents.”

“Lio, please––”

“It was _my_ responsibility _,_ and yet even with all my power, I _failed_ ––”

“Lio, _stop_.” Galo placed a hand on Lio’s shoulder, and Lio tensed at his sudden, strong grip. Still, that was enough to silence him. Galo maintained a stern gaze.

“Listen, I know it’s hard dealing with that regret. The frustration that even though you had the capabilities, if you were quicker or stronger or had planned better, you could have prevented more losses...” Galo’s expression softened, although his hold on Lio remained firm. “But you saved as many people as you could. You had the drive to protect, always burning deep within your soul.” 

He lightly poked Lio’s chest, and Lio barely flinched. 

“Even if you weren’t able to rescue every Burnish, even when Kray or Freeze Force was one step ahead of you, remember all the Burnish that you _did_ save. Remember all the families we saved together in the very end.”

The right corner of Galo’s mouth perked up into a gentle smile. “There are children who’ve lost their parents, but thanks to you, there’s even more children who still have families and homes. And even ex-Burnish orphans like these kids? They have friends and guardians who care about them. They’ll never be truly alone. Not when they’re surrounded by people who love them.”

Galo squeezed Lio’s shoulder. “So please don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. None of it is.”

“Galo…”

Lio slowly peeled Galo’s hand off of him. Expecting him to completely push it away, Galo was surprised that Lio’s fingers were still intertwined with his own. Lio’s warmth seeped into Galo’s skin, surging through his veins like a trail of fire burning through gasoline. As if Lio’s flame had never left him, and he was giving a piece of himself to Galo once more…

“That’s so like you, huh?”

“What?”

Lio laughed softly. “You give me hope whenever I’m so close to losing it. Anytime I find myself in the dark, you’re the light that guides me out. You ignite a new fire within me, a fire that no one else has ever sparked.” His thumb caressed the back of Galo’s hand. “Why is that, Galo?”

Galo sucked in his breath, his heart pounding so hard he was scared it would leap out of his chest. He hoped Lio didn’t notice that his fingers were trembling. 

“Umm, well…” Galo swallowed the lump in his throat. There went Lio Fotia, stumping him as usual. “I-I can’t explain any of that. But all I can say is...I care a lot about you, Lio. You’re just…” Galo chewed on his lip. “You’re really special to me. As a teammate, a friend, even more than that––”

“More than that?” Lio quirked his eyebrow up, curiosity flickering across his face. Galo’s eyes widened when he realized what he had just said.

“Uhh, I mean, sorry! That was––” Flustered, Galo quickly pulled his hand away from Lio’s. “Dammit, Lio! This was a trap, wasn't it? You just wanted me to––”

Lio silenced him with a kiss on the cheek.

Galo was stunned. Warmth bloomed in his face, and the delicate touch of Lio’s lips still lingered. Despite how speechless Galo was, he felt strangely at ease, as if Lio’s kiss had cast a calming spell over him. It felt comfortable, the way Galo wasn’t completely certain that’s what he wanted until now.

Lio quickly looked down, fidgeting with his hands, his cheeks splashed with bright red.

“L-like that?” Lio stammered.

Galo hesitated until he leaned over and gently kissed Lio’s forehead. He pulled away to see Lio staring back at him and smiled softly.

“Yeah, like that.”

Lio blinked before he returned Galo’s smile with an equally soft one. Then, he opened his mouth again––

“Uhh, am I interrupting something or…?”

Galo turned around to see Aina staring at them curiously with her arms crossed. “Oh, umm…” Galo sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

Aina giggled. “I hate to bother you two, but the pizza just arrived, and we’re gonna need both of you to help set up everything.” She pointed behind her, and Galo saw the picnic tables were filled with chattering kids. Gueira, Meis, and the rest of Burning Rescue were bringing over pizza boxes, snacks, and drinks.

“Alright.” Lio laughed and stood up. “We’ll be there in a minute.”

Aina smiled and headed over to the picnic area. Galo stood up and stretched his arms before turning to Lio. A smug, crooked grin soon spread on Galo’s lips.

“First one there gets the first slice?”

Lio scoffed, “You’re on, Galo Thymos.”

* * *

As the children laughed at Galo’s jokes or listened in awe to his stories during lunch, Galo was glad that he could spark joy in kids like he used to.

But as Lio mischievously teased Galo as they competed for the last pizza slice or smiled fondly while Galo dramatically recounted their adventures to the kids, Galo was glad that he could spark a special kind of joy in someone else.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed this piece! if you like what you read, then don't hesitate to read my other fics! and check me out on [tumblr](https://221bdisneystreet.tumblr.com) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/mirmirthepanda) if you want updates on my fics or if you just wanna see me scream about other stuff. whatever floats your boat. but anyways thank you again for reading! love y'all! <3


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